Open AccessA Critical Discourse Analysis of Gender Representations in the Content of 5th Grade English Language Textbook
Author(s) -
Muhammad Ahmad,
Syed Kazim Shah
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
rimcis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.189
H-Index - 3
ISSN - 2014-3680
DOI - 10.17583/rimcis.2019.3989
Subject(s) - dominance (genetics) , critical discourse analysis , content analysis , representation (politics) , psychology , gender bias , english language , gender studies , content (measure theory) , mathematics education , linguistics , sociology , social psychology , social science , political science , mathematics , politics , biochemistry , chemistry , philosophy , ideology , law , gene , mathematical analysis
This study investigates gender representation in an English language textbook taught to the students of Grade-5 in public and private schools in Punjab (Pakistan) by applying Fairclough’s three-dimensional model. For this purpose, content and critical discourse analyses approaches were applied to check eight-factor gender discrimination in the said textbook. As a result, it was observed that the said textbook was highly gender biased which represented males more than females. It also appeared that the said textbook had been designed to maintain male dominance in implicit as well as explicit ways. Such state of affairs may lead to gender discrimination in practical lives. Therefore, the study suggests that both genders should be represented in an equalized proportion. This can be achieved by increasing the number of female authors and sensitizing the teachers about gender discrimination and asking them to highlight gender biased issues in education.